Apple Inc. Stock At All-Time High Despite iWatch Delay Rumors

Apple Inc. NASDAQ:AAPL stock reached to an all-time high of $100.53 on a split-adjusted basis on Tuesday. The stock is up another 0.12% to $100.65 in pre-market trading Wednesday. Shares of the Cupertino company have been soaring as investors look forward to the next month’s iPhone 6 launch. Apple is expected to announce two versions of its flagship smartphone on September 9.

Morgan Stanley issues bullish report on Apple

Apple’s previous record closing was $702.10, or $100.30 on split-adjusted basis, on September 9, 2012. Shares of the iPhone maker historically go up ahead of the new iPhone launches. The previous record high of $702.10 was reached just two days before the iPhone 5 went for sale. The iPhones account for more than 50% of the company’s annual revenue.

Tuesday’s jump came after Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty issued a bullish report. Huberty recommended her clients to buy more Apple shares ahead of the new product launches. Apple’s head of iTunes, Eddy Cue, said in May that the company plans to launch what would be the “best product pipeline in 25 years” later this year. Katy Huberty said the current level of stock doesn’t price in the forthcoming software, hardware and services innovation.

Apple may postpone iWatch to 2015

However, a new report from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo could worry some investors. Kuo said in a research note that the highly anticipated iWatch continues to face manufacturing difficulties, which could lead to its postponement. KGI Securities said that the iWatch released will be pushed back to 2015. That’s in line with Kuo’s report last month where he predicted that the wearable device will enter mass production in November.

Kuo said he was positive on the iWatch and the advantages of its design will be difficult to copy. But it represents a very high level of difficulty in terms of component and system design, integration between software and hardware, and manufacturing. Apple has reportedly asked its suppliers to manufacture at least 80 million iPhone 6 units by the year-end.

Apple shares were down 0.23% to $100.30 in pre-market trading Wednesday.